IND vs PAK 2022: "Mohammad Nawaz came as an out-of-syllabus question" - Aakash Chopra on Pakistan all-rounder's match-defining performance

Aakash Chopra has lauded Mohammad Nawaz for dishing out a match-winning performance for Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2022 Super 4 clash against India in Dubai on Sunday, September 4.

Nawaz first registered figures of 1/25 in his four overs as the Men in Green restricted Rohit Sharma and Co. to 181/7. The spin-bowling all-rounder then smashed 42 runs off just 20 balls to help Babar Azam's side win the match by five wickets with just one delivery to spare.

While reviewing Sunday's game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked Nawaz as his Player of the Match. He explained:

"Mohammad Nawaz came as an out-of-syllabus question, we hadn't prepared for that. My Player of the Match, he is praiseworthy. He is a mighty player, you are taking him lightly but you couldn't understand, it happens at times, it's just the unknown."

Chopra pointed out that the Quetta Gladiators all-rounder snared the crucial wicket of Suryakumar Yadav during India's innings. The former India opener elaborated:

"Whoever has seen the PSL (Pakistan Super League) properly and followed his career, his performances are talking. He had already taken six wickets in the first two matches. He picked up one more wicket here, an extremely important wicket, the way he dismissed Suryakumar Yadav."

Yadav holed out to deep square leg while attempting to play a sweep shot against Nawaz. The left-arm spinner had earlier accounted for Rohit, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja's dismissals in the Group A clash between the two sides.

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"He brought about a total change" - Aakash Chopra on Mohammad Nawaz's batting

Mohammad Nawaz was also the official Player of the Match. [P/C: Twitter]

Chopra highlighted that Nawaz's innings altered the course of the match. He said:

"After that, when Mohammad Nawaz was promoted in the batting order for the left-right combination, he scored 42 runs off just 20 balls. Game, set and match boss. He brought about a total change."

While praising Nawaz for his stingy bowling, Chopra pointed out that the Rawalpindi-born all-rounder made mincemeat of the Indian attack. The reputed commentator observed:

"He bowls restrictively at the right spots, he is a smart bowler, doesn't give runs. In batting, we all felt that he had been sent to neutralize the spinners, forget leg-spin, he plays fast bowling better. He plays big shots against them. We were feeding him fast bowling and he kept on hitting."

Nawaz's 42-run knock was studded with six fours and two sixes. He strung together a 73-run third-wicket partnership with Mohammad Rizwan (71 off 51) that swung the match in Pakistan's favor.